


We regret to inform you...

by Amarylissa



Series: We regret to inform you... [1]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Community: 1_million_words, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-01
Updated: 2013-04-08
Packaged: 2017-12-07 05:08:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 8,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/744612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amarylissa/pseuds/Amarylissa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve is missed</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chin was a little quieter, another loss in such a short space of time taking its toll. He came in earlier, left later, filled his life with work to carry on the dead man’s legacy.  


Kono tried to make up for their grief, and held the team together with good coffee and bad jokes. Only Adam saw the quiet desperation behind her smiling facade.  


Danny was a little more tired, a little angrier, and sometimes even Grace couldn't make him smile.  


With reluctance they faced the need for someone else on the team. They co-opted a young cousin of Meka's named Sam. A six foot former football player, he had not found it easy at HPD after Meka's death and he leaped at the chance to join Five-0.  


The team took turns to partner up with the rookie.  


From Kono, Sam learned all about weapons: they practiced on the range together at the weekend, where she took some comfort in passing on everything Steve had taught her.  


Chin showed Sam everything he should know about strategy, sharing how to use a combination of technology, science and brainpower to outsmart Hawaii's criminals. He developed a quiet enjoyment in seeing the younger man learn and apply what he had learned.  


Danny helped Sam put his textbook knowledge of protocol into practice in the messy complex situations they faced in the real world. And Sam had enough guts to sometimes question Danny when his anger rose to boiling point and he disregarded protocol, putting the fear of God into felons, focusing on the end rather than the means.  


And two months to the day that he joined Five-0, Sam reached instinctively for his weapon when a bearded, limping man exploded into the office, looking around wildly for something, someone that wasn't there. Alarmed by the intruder, he aimed at the man's head, saw the stranger wince as he raised his hands above his head and dropped to his knees.

"Guys, I need some back up out here," he called to Danny, Kono, Chin, who were conferring on a case in Danny's office.

The three of them burst out of the office, handguns to the fore, but then they stopped, dropped their weapons straight away. And Sam was stunned to see brusque, irritable Detective Williams with tears in his eyes as he flung his arms round the stranger, with a strangled cry of, "Steve!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few months earlier...

“Get down!” A missile screamed over their heads, and they scrambled for the nearest ditch, rain pelting down as they ran. 

“Hell!” Danny swore, “That was too close. Any update Chin?”

“It’s gonna be twenty minutes until backup can get here.”

“Come on.” Steve beckoned them forwards through the ferns. Danny followed, stumbling over the soft ground, then Chin, with Kono bringing up the rear, her rifle raised. 

They scrambled forward, crouching to avoid the continuing machine gun fire. 

“We’re gonna need to split up,” Steve said. “Chin, Kono, go west. Danny and I will try to draw their fire round to the east: see if you can get round behind to take out the perp with the missile launcher and then it’s going to be a lot easier for the guys in the helo.”

Chin and Kono ran back into the jungle, their footsteps drowned out by gunfire and the roar from the nearby river which was in full flood. 

“Right, after me,” and Steve took off as fast as he could to the west, weapon firing. Danny followed, cursing felons who decided that no-one could track them this far up to the summit of Kohala. 

“Watch the roots!” he said, seeing Steve trip, but his partner had recovered already. Danny slipped himself, the constant rain and loose topsoil making it hard to stay on his feet. He could feel his pants clinging to his legs, mud spatters rising to his knees. 

“Gotcha!” Steve called out from ahead, and Danny could see a gang member who’d come out to find them fall to the ground. The visibility was getting worse, which made it harder both for Five-0 and the men they had been chasing. 

Danny persevered up the path, fully alert for another attacker. He fired towards the shed where the gang had holed up: three men with rifles on this side of the building fired back, while a fourth reloaded the missile launcher. He winged one, and could see that Steve had another pinned down behind some crates. Those crates might be the key to the whole thing, if only they could get near them.

“Fucking overkill,” Danny shouted as he lay down to fire his weapon from a spot with more shelter. He could see Steve a few feet away, firing too. The gang’s bullets were going over their heads, and Chin and Kono should be in position any minute soon. 

“Come on Kono. See if you can get him before he gets the next one out.” Danny knew he was talking to himself, as he scoured the hillside for any sign of the rest of the team, but somehow it helped. 

Then the earth rocked. 

“No!” Danny cried out. 

The guy with the missile launcher had fired again. Seconds later Kono's shot hit her mark and he dropped to the ground, but by then it was too late. 

A great chunk of earth had disappeared just feet from where Danny lay, and Steve was gone too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For 1 Million words WOTD prompt Persevere


	3. Chapter 3

Steve took a breath, then went under again. The river was in full flood, and he couldn’t fight it. His head throbbed, breathing hurt, and shards of pain shot up his leg every time he tried to kick out. All he could focus on was staying afloat. 

He knew he could be carried out to sea, but there wasn’t much he could do about it, even his strong swimming skills no match for the power of the water. His body was hurled about by the river, thrown against rocks, each impact increasingly painful. He tried to grab something, anything, but the water was muddy, full of topsoil, and he struggled to see. 

The journey seemed to last forever, but in fact it only took minutes for him to travel down to where the river slowed and widened out. There were fewer rocks, and more overhanging branches. Steve tried to reach out, to slow himself down, to find safety, but the river dragged him onward. 

The water roared in his ears, louder and louder. In one awful moment Steve realized what was going to happen, but there was nothing he could do. All at once he found himself spiraling through the air as the river dropped away into a waterfall. Down and down he fell. He tried to brace himself against the impact, but somewhere on the way down everything went black. 

At the bottom of the fall the river carried on its journey to the sea, and Steve went with it, but he had stopped reaching out, stopped gasping for air. The rain continued to fall, and it was hard to see where the mist of the fall ended and the sea began. And no-one was there to see the body that washed up on the shoreline some hours later.


	4. Chapter 4

They had searched for Steve for three days straight. The terrain made it a tough job, and the rain hadn't let up, but the dogs from Search and Rescue Hawaii were well trained. The Kohala Forest Reserve rangers joined the search, along with local police, and volunteers from HPD joined in once it became clear that Steve wasn't going to be found straight away. 

“I don't know what to do.” Danny looked at Chin from where he sat on the ground, coffee flask in hand, while they took a break. 

Chin waited to hear what Danny would say. 

“How do I tell Grace? When do I tell her? What if we never find him.”

A member of the SAR team walking past stopped and put a hand on Danny’s shoulder, “We’ll search every bit of the six hundred square kilometers if that’s what it takes.”

Danny raised a thin smile, but his face fell as the man walked on. 

“It’s Steve, man. He’d have found his way back to us if he could. And if he can’t...”

“Shhh, brah. After we've searched the Reserve, we’ll search every bit of the Island, and then we’ll go back to where we started and search again.”

Danny stood up slowly, stretched out his back, and set off again, Chin close behind. 

~#~

It was on the fourth day that Danny spoke to one of the dog handlers. He, Kono and Chin were back up where the explosion had taken place, a huge scar in the earth outlining the landslide the explosion had triggered. They were making an attempt at investigating the evidence at the scene, but it was half-hearted while the search was still ongoing. 

“I gotta thank you. I know you guys volunteer.”

The man looked down at the dog, who looked right back up at his master, “ Wouldn't want to do anything else, brah. I know what it’s like when someone goes missing. But you know...”

His voice trailed off.

“What?” Danny was alert again, despite the bone-deep tiredness he felt. 

“ We've not found any trace, no movements, no scent after the explosion. The trails you took up here, they were clear enough right after, but the dogs are getting nothing now. He’s not up here. And we’re talking alive or... There’s nothing here. They’d pick it up if they could.”

They both gazed through the torrential rain at the mudslide which descended hundreds of meters down the mountain side. 

“How far down can a dog detect a ...body?” Danny choked a little on the last few words, but lifted his head to look the man in the eyes. 

The handler struggled to meet his steady gaze, “If it was up here, they could pick up someone six feet under, but down there, there’s no safe way to get down, so I don’t know.”

Then there was a roaring sound, and Chin shouted, “Get back!”, pulling at Danny. The men scrambled further up the slope as more mud slithered down the mountain.


	5. Chapter 5

He struggled to open his eyes. Everything hurt. He could feel the rain, a constant drizzle soaking him to the skin. His face was stiff, caked in... sand? He tried to push up from the ground, to look for threats, but the movement was too much and everything faded out. 

~#~

When he came to, it was dark, the rain had stopped. He could open his eyes more easily, and became aware of thirst, all consuming thirst. He could hear the water, lapping down by his feet, and tried to turn. Pain shot up his leg, tore across his chest and shoulder, and his head spun. 

He processed his situation slowly: he was on a beach, it would be salt water: no point in looking behind him to quench his thirst. He tried pulling himself forward instead. Inch by painful inch he made his way across the sand. All the time he strained to hear something over the noise of the sea. Where was he: neutral territory or war zone? Was there anyone else there? 

He continued his slow progress towards the ferns and bushes that edged the beach, just visible in the moonlight. He couldn't see any immediate threat. If he could get to cover, he’d be safe for a moment. 

~#~

He must have passed out again, because it was daylight, and he was face down in the sand. He rolled onto his good side, trying to get a look at his surroundings. Beach, sea, more beach. Maybe a river-mouth, maybe the coast just curved away. 

Water was a priority, getting off the exposed position on the damn beach too, but as pain ran through his body again he first assessed at his injuries. Starting at the top: head, painful. He raised his hand and felt sticky blood, dried blood, raised bumps. That explained the headache. His hand moved down to his left shoulder and he turned his head with care. More blood, maybe something still embedded in his shoulder. He moved on. Ribs, broken. Breathing was painful, and he thought there was damage to the right side too, though not as bad. Hips, just bruised. Legs, damn! His right leg was bruised, scraped, but his left was definitely broken. The bone hadn't pierced the skin though. He looked around and decided he had to make it to the bushes to find something to splint his leg. 

Painful moments later, he lay up against the bushes, trying to control his breathing. There was a little shelter from the weather here, he’d found his knife still in his pocket, and slashed open fern-stems to find a few drops of liquid, licked more off the leaves. He sat back, bracing himself before he splinted his leg. He was safe for the moment, but where was he? He searched his mind for where he had been deployed. Iraq? Afghanistan? Djibouti? Korea? If only his head would stop throbbing he might be able to work it out. And where was the rest of SEAL Team 7?

He shredded his battered over-shirt into strips, wondering why he wasn't in uniform, and then cut four stout branches. Using the rest of the shirt for padding he strapped his leg the best he could, but the pain was excruciating and he fainted.

~#~

He was getting used to the uneven passage of time. It was night again. He listened for a second before trying to move, but it seemed that he was still alone. His head was a little clearer, the pain still present but no longer overwhelming, so he assessed his options. He wasn't going to walk out of here right now: maybe in a day or so if he could find a couple of longer branches to turn into crutches. So for now he’d need food, water, and better shelter. 

He emptied out the pockets of his cargo pants, careful not to jar his leg. 

Inventory: two knives, a multi-tool, glucose tablets still dry in a tin, storm matches and a lighter. He found two food bars, and bit into one cautiously, before eating the rest. The packet had been wet, but he needed something and it was still good. 

More digging revealed antibiotics, painkillers, antiseptic cream and gauze pads. He dry swallowed some tablets, then moved on. 

The next pocket held a wire saw, snare wire, fishing hook, dental floss, a garbage bag, two pairs of evidence gloves and a compass. He shook the last item gently. It was wet and rusting: he’d have to wait for daylight or a break in the clouds to see if it was working. 

Finally, spare ammo. Damn. He felt down by his right ankle, his movements tentative until his fingers locked onto his gun, and for the first time he smiled. He was going to be all right.


	6. Chapter 6

“I’m going back this weekend,” Danny stated. His shirt was rumpled, the shadows under his eyes had deepened, and he hadn't shaved in days. 

“I’ll bring a bag in Friday morning so we can head straight off.” Chin said, and Danny smiled at him, grateful for his support. 

“Are you sure, Danny? It’s been a couple of months, no-one’s seen anything...” Kono couldn't continue for a moment. 

Danny brooked no argument. “I had Grace last weekend, so this weekend I’m going back.”

He refused to look at the death certificate on his desk, pushing it back under the mounting stack of case files. 

~#~

Chin and Kono were careful around Danny now. He had lost it big time when the head of Search and Rescue had called it. 

“We’re not going to find anything now.” 

It had been getting dark, and Danny looked at him, “Dawn is at around five: do we meet up then?”

“I’m sorry, Detective. We’re not going to find him now, not if we searched for the next month.” He waved his hand towards the huge landslide. “It’s not safe to search down there, he’s not going to be alive if we find him. I can’t risk more lives.”

“No! we are not giving up. Commander McGarrett would have said ‘leave no man behind’, and I’m not leaving him now. Have you seen what the man has done for these Islands, I can’t believe...” 

It had taken all Chin and Kono’s tact to get Danny down from the Reserve that night, still shouting angrily, and he’d gone back at every chance since. One weekend he’d met up with Wade Gutches, sometimes Chin and Kono went too, sometimes he went alone. 

~#~

At five on Friday they were standing round their bags in the center of the office, ready to head off, when Grace burst in. “Mommy says can I stay with you this weekend Danno?”

Rachel came in a moment later, all silk blouse and smooth syllables, “Good evening Detective Kelly, Officer Kalakaua. Daniel, I’m sorry, but could you take Grace this weekend? Stan has been called away and I’d like to go with him. We’ll be away until Wednesday, and I’d rather not leave Grace with the housekeeper that long. She mustn't miss school of course.”

“No problem, Rachel.” Danny couldn't turn down five extra days with Grace, but then Rachel spotted the bags. 

“Are you going somewhere? I didn't mean to disrupt your plans.”

“We were heading over to the Big Island.”

“Oh!” Dismay showed in Rachel’s face. “I’m sorry, I’ll make other arrangements.” She understood just how much Steve’s loss was affecting Danny. 

Chin and Kono exchanged a glance. Perhaps Grace might help Danny face the truth. 

“It’s OK. You've got your bag Gracie?” Kono asked. 

“We won’t take her anywhere dangerous.” Chin was calm and reassuring, and showed Rachel to the door. 

Grace turned to Danny, “Are you going to look for Uncle Steve?” Her voice was eager. 

~#~

Grace’s excitement spilled over once she realized that they were going in Kamekona’s helicopter. 

“Danno! Can I get shave ice from Kamekona too?”

Danny smiled at his exuberant daughter, glad that taking her on the trip was working out. “I think he might be a bit busy flying the helicopter babe.”

Kono turned to Chin, “Grace is in top form isn't she?”

Chin looked worried, “Does she think we’re going to find Steve? I know we’re looking but...”

“... it’s mainly to support Danny.” Kono finished what he didn't say. She carried on, her eyes bright,“We’ll keep looking until he says stop, brah. If it helps, we’ll do it.”

Chin nodded his agreement, then went to pass the bags up into the helicopter. 

~#~

When they landed, Kono took Grace to see if they could find shave ice, while Chin called Danny back. 

“Danny. Can I have a word?”

Danny turned and nodded, so Chin continued: “What have you said to Grace? About Steve?”

Danny looked uneasy. “Just that he’s missing.”

Sadness crossed Chin’s face. “Danny...”

“I know!”

“Do you want me to...”

“No. I’ll do it. It just seemed too soon. What if...?”

Chin put his hand on Danny’s arm. “He’s not coming back, brah.”

 

~#~

It was cooler at up on the ridge. Grace shivered, her thin jacket an inadequate defense against the penetrating drizzle. Danny scooped her up onto his hip, and they both gazed out across the jungle. The mud brown scar was still there, but a few brave plants had already made inroads into the edge. 

“Things grow fast here,” Danny said. 

“Is this where you ... lost Uncle Steve?”

Danny shifted Grace round so he could look her in the eye. 

“Just up here. The bad guys were over there. They had a big gun. The landslip happened next. And Uncle Steve..”

The stood in silence for a moment, tears rolling down Grace’s face. 

“He’s not coming back, is he Danno?”

“He’s Super Steve!” Danny’s tone was light. “It’d take more than a landslide...”

Grace wriggled out of his arms and pushed away, anger in her small face, “Don’t lie to me. I’m not a baby. He’s not coming back.” And she strode off back down the path, hair flying behind her, to where Chin and Kono were with the tent. 

Danny sat on the ground, his shoulders bowed and for the first time since Steve was lost he wept.


	7. Chapter 7

It was taking much longer than he’d hoped to get to the stage where he could try to escape his beach. His leg was one factor: he couldn't bear any weight on it, and stopped trying after a couple of attempts left him in excruciating pain. His shoulder was still causing his problems, despite his best efforts to dig out the shrapnel that was embedded in it. His injuries stopped him trying to swim too. The other issue was the steep rocks that led up off the beach. He would have made a fair attempt at them if fully fit, but in his current condition all he could do was wait. 

He had survival training, but had never had to put everything into use in quite this way. At first, he was cautious, still unsure whether he was in enemy territory, but as the days progressed and it was clear that no-one was there, enemy or ally, he became bolder, and lit a fire. He fished from the beach, not with much success, set traps for small animals, shot down a goose when they flew past. Firewood was limited, dependent on what washed up on the beach, but he could just about manage to keep hunger at bay. 

He tied together branches and pulled down broad flat leaves until he created a small shelter, pushed sand up into a bank to protect it, and prepared to wait there until he could climb or swim his way out. 

~#~

Each day he walked along the beach, trying to go further every time, two stout sticks helping him keep the damaged leg off the ground. His leg and head told him loud and clear if he did too much. And each day he discovered more about the place he was stranded. His suspicions grew that perhaps he wasn't in a war zone: the first time he spotted berries on a bush that he recognized. Out loud, he said, “Ohelo Kau La'au?” , his voice croaky from weeks of disuse. The geese were nene geese. How could he be in Hawaii?

~#~

Once he realized he might be closer to civilization than he thought, he started making more serious attempts to attract attention. He wasn't on a flight path: he might have seen a few planes in the distance, but none close enough to see him. One week he gathered as much wood as he could, using a long stick to pull dead branches down, saving up everything he could gather on the shoreline. He lit a fire, then threw large green leaves and damp ferns onto it, creating a column of smoke, but no-one came. 

During the day he kept busy, worked at the business of staying alive until he was in too much pain to carry on, and at night, he slept, exhausted. But he dreamed, vivid pictures of life back home on Oahu. Instead of his mother and father, though, the main characters in the dream were a short stocky blond man and a brown haired child, playing on the beach outside his home. 

~#~


	8. Chapter 8

It was light each morning when he woke. His watch hadn't worked since he came round, but he reckoned dawn must be at around five. He’d risked removing the splint from his leg the last few days, and ventured into the sea several times for a gentle workout. He practiced his spear fishing skills, welcoming an improvement in diet. He couldn't get far on the leg on land, and still didn't have full use of his left shoulder. Despite this, he made short forays up the cliff face, just to see if he could. He was cautious, though: without any equipment or backup a fall could leave him injured, trapped again or worse.

That morning, as he lay in his shelter, he heard a gentle put-put-put. He crawled out: sure that it was the sound of a motor. And yes, a few hundred meters offshore, a little fishing boat was puttering past. Steve held off from yelling, but instead scrambled down the beach with uneven steps, as fast as he could.

He started swimming out to the boat, and the elderly man at the tiller shut off the engine.

Steve gripped onto the side.

“Careful there!” the man said.

Steve frowned, “Is this Hawaii?”

The man looked at him, puzzled. “Yes?”

“Can I come on board?”

The man nodded and Steve began to explain what had happened to him.

“You’re lucky I’m back out in the boat, brah! I've been sick this last couple of months. No-one else fishes round here, too many rocks.”

“Can you get me to...” Steve sat back, puzzled as to just where he should go, or who he should call.

~#~

In the event, Steve had plenty of time to work out what to do. The man had no plans to curtail his fishing trip, discovered castaway or not. He offered Steve a drink from his flask, and Steve sat back, pleased to be on a boat, going somewhere.

~#~

The old man berthed his boat with care, then leaned back in to wake Steve, “We’re home, brah!” Home was a small bungalow in the grounds of a much larger estate.

“The owner’s away. I do the gardening. My wife looks after the house. Rina!”  
A plump woman in an apron came out of the kitchen, drying her hands, “Well, who've you brought back here, Keoki?”

All at once Steve was aware of how he looked. His hair was unkempt, a scruffy three month beard hiding some of the dirt and scars on his face. His clothes were stiff with dirt and dried salt. His pants were full of holes, his shirt hadn't made it past the first day, and his undershirt was wrecked.

“Your husband got me off a beach. I’d been stuck for a while.”

“Looks like a while! Come on in and get yourself washed. I’ll find you some clothes. And I bet you've not seen a good meal for a bit either.”

Steve gave in and allowed himself to be encouraged to walk towards the shower room. There was time enough to work out who to call, and it was obvious that no-one had been looking for him.

~#~

A shower, a meal, some clean clothes, and Steve was feeling more civilized than he had for some time. He’d checked the newspaper to see the date, but was none the wiser. He didn't think he should be in Hawaii, but he wasn't sure where else he should be. He could feel his head starting to hurt again.

“You need a nap.” Steve looked up from his seat. Rina had her arms folded, and he didn't feel up to arguing. She shepherded him into a small bedroom, “Ricky don’t need this right now. You sleep as long as you want.”

~#~

Steve emerged, limping, into the main room. He felt like he’d slept for hours, and looked around for a clock.

“Relax, brah!” Keoki was sat back in an armchair, beer in hand. “Come and watch the game.”

Steve sat down, and Rina bustled in. “You found the clothes?” Steve was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. He’d lost weight, he knew, but these hung off him. “Ricky’s off the Island right now. He’s not as tall as you, but he’s a big guy. Now you eat this.” She put a plate of eggs, spam and rice in front of him. “You need to put on some weight. Now, is there anyone you need to call after you've eaten?”

Steve’s mouth was full, which stopped him answering, and she didn't persist. She returned to the kitchen, and bite by bite he made his way through a small portion of the meal, half an eye on the game. At half time he stood, ready to take his plate back into the kitchen, when the news came on. He stopped, shocked, as the blond man from his dreams appeared on the news.

“Who’s that?”

“Some detective. He heads up Five-0. He’s new to the job, only been doing it a few months. Haole. Dunno how he’s gonna make out. They lost the previous guy, up here in Kohala.”

Keoki turned, as Steve’s plate fell to the floor.


	9. Chapter 9

“Which Island are we on?”

“Big Island.”

“Can you get me to the airport?”

Keoki looked confused for moment, but said, “Sure thing, big guy!”

Rina wrinkled her brow, concern on her plump good-natured face, “Are you sure you’re OK to travel. How long have you been out there anyway?”

“ I've got to go. I know where I need to be.”

And Steve strode out to where Keoki was starting his jeep. 

~#~

Steve didn't have a plan beyond ‘get back to Five-0’

At the airport a giant of a man raced up to Steve and embraced him. 

“Steve, brah! What you doing here? You wen make already!”

Steve said, “Kamekona! Man it’s good to see you. What are you doing here?”

“Tourist trip. In the helicopter. I've been flying over to the Big Island regularly, Danny’s good for a trip every other weekend. He’s been looking for you, brah!”

“Can you get me back to Honolulu? Now?”

“Sure ting! You climb up, I gotta get something.”

Steve jittered in the helicopter cockpit, unhappy at the wait. Kamekona was back in a few minutes, a melting shave ice in his hand, just before Steve cracked and hotwired the helo. 

“You lucky, brah! I don’t let them malihinis eat in the helicopter! Not as good as mine, but you look like you need to eat. And get a haircut.”

Steve sat back and took a scoop while he let Kamekona continue to talk. Pineapple. 

~#~

When they landed back in Honolulu, Steve hesitated at the door to the helicopter. 

“Thanks, brah. Look, I don’t have a wallet.”

“Hey, no charge, brah. Just glad to have you back.”

“Yeah, can you lend me something for a cab?”

“I can do better than that!” And Steve found himself in the passenger seat of a giant truck, driven by one of Kamekona’s cousins, heading into town.


	10. Chapter 10

Sam was bummed out. The others were usually great at including him, but this afternoon he’d been left in the outer office while they pored over files on a current case. In the morning they had followed up a lead on an arms dealer, and Sam thought that he’d done a great tackle, stopping the guy from getting away. He and Chin has taken him in for interrogation, and got a couple of names for possible buyers, and some clues to the supplier. So why was he shut out on this one?

~#~

“It all takes us back to the same place, brah!” Chin said.

“Kohala.” Danny’s face was grim.

“They’re not going to be back there, are they?” Kono asked.

“Not the same guys, not the same place, but it’s a massive area and no-one passes through ninety percent of it.” Danny knew more about the State Forest Reserve than most people by now.

~#~

Sam was looking at the tech table when he heard the door slam open. He looked up and raised his gun straight away, alarmed by the skinny bearded man who exploded into the office.

The stranger dropped to his knees at Sam’s command of “On the floor!”, wincing as he raised his hands into the air.

"Guys, I need some back up out here," Sam called to the others in Danny's office.  
They burst out, handguns to the fore, but stopped, dropped their weapons straight away. Danny found tears in his eyes as he flung his arms round the intruder, "Steve!"

Within seconds Kono and Chin had joined the men, arms round each other.

“Where have you been?”

“What happened?”

“How did you get here?”

“Hey, babe, come on up.” Danny was the first to realize that Steve was struggling with the reunion. He pulled back, and held out his hand to help him as he struggled to get off his knees.

“Let’s leave the questions.” His face was somber as he took in the changes in his partner. Steve was tanned, wearing clean clothes several sizes too large, but even so Danny could see he’d lost a lot of muscle mass, and his face, arms and legs were scarred. Steve was uncharacteristically hesitant when he spoke, too.

“I wasn't sure... I mean, I didn't know where to...”

Danny’s eyes were warm as he said, “Come on you big lunk, let’s get you home. Or do you need a hospital?”

Steve shook his head, and Danny frowned. “Are you sure? Never mind, home first, anyway.”


	11. Chapter 11

Danny continued to frown as Steve limped down the stairs.

“Did you hurt your leg? Sorry, I wasn't going to ask more questions.”

“It’s OK. I broke it, I think.”

They continued to the Camaro in silence, until Steve said, “Do I get to drive?”

Danny held onto the keys with a smirk, and Steve climbed into the passenger seat. He hadn't been serious about driving the car, but ever since he’d seen Danny on TV he’d been remembering more and more about living on Oahu, about being part of Five-0. 

~#~

Danny glanced at Steve as he drove. His eyes were closed, his head leaned back against the headrest as if it was too much effort to keep it up.

They pulled into the drive, and Danny shut off the engine.

“Your house. Its...”

Steve opened his eyes. “I left it to you, didn't I?”

“Yeah.” Danny looked down at his hands. “We’ll clear out, if you could give us a day or so.”

“No, I’ll get a hotel or something.”

“Don’t be daft. It’s your home. Look, come on in. You look like you could do with...” Danny faltered, unsure which of the many things that Steve was in need of to mention ... a haircut, a good meal, to have been safe with them for the last few months. “Your clothes are still here.”

They wandered up to the house. Danny opened the door and switched off the alarm. “The code’s still the same...”

“... Grace’s birthday.” Steve finished for him.

Steve stood looking at the main room. The furniture was the same, Danny had never had much furniture of his own in his apartment, but the room looked very different. On top of tones of brown and green, the room glittered with plastic ponies, Barbie dolls and pink and purple cushions. Danny made a half hearted attempt to push some toys into a box.

“Don’t.” Steve said. “Where’s Grace?”

“At Rachel’s. I should let them know.” But Danny didn’t get out his phone.

Now he was home, Steve didn’t know what to do. He stood, looking at the strange mix of past and present before him.

Danny moved closer, “What do you want to do?”

“I dunno.”

“How about we sort out your hair? The wild man of the woods look isn’t great on you.”

Steve nodded, and hobbled towards the stairs, Danny right behind. He struggled on the stairs before finding a rhythm that suited his left leg, but Danny didn’t rush him.

Upstairs, Steve walked into the master bedroom. On the surface, he could see traces of Danny all over the room: ties hanging off the end of the bed, worn dress shirts in a heap ready for laundry. But underneath, right down to the last photo of his father, everything was the same.

“Come on, your clippers are in the bathroom.”

Steve followed in silence as Danny went into the ensuite and bent to rummage in a cupboard. He sat down, waiting.

“Want me to... it’s gonna be a bit of a job?”

Steve nodded and Danny set the clippers to their longest setting.

It was strangely intimate, the closest he’d been to anyone for months, discounting the uncomfortable hugs earlier that day. Steve relaxed as Danny’s fingers ran over his scalp, chunks of matted hair dropping to the ground. Occasionally Steve winced as the clippers caught on a tangle, and Danny muttered, “Sorry.” He could feel Danny slowing his strokes on the left side, skirting around the uneven skin.

“I’ll go over it again. Five mil OK?” Steve nodded. “What do you want me to do about the beard.”

Steve stood and took a look at himself in the mirror. For the first time he could see some of the damage. There was a florid scar down the left side of his face, starting above the hairline and continuing down his jaw.

“Just cut it five mil all over.”

When Danny had completed the task he cleaned the clippers meticulously and replaced them in the exact spot they had come from.

“You should shower. Get the hair off. I’ll find your clothes.”

Steve pulled the giant yellow t-shirt off, wincing as he tried to raise his left arm. Maybe the hospital might be an idea at some point.

~#~

Steve emerged from the bathroom just a few moments later, wrapped in just a towel. He held something in his right hand, and for the first time Danny saw a broad smile on his face.

“That was fast, I’d have thought you might have wanted more than a Navy shower after...”

“You kept my toothbrush!”

Danny felt his face heat up. “I didn’t clear much out.”

“Anything?”

“I may have had some issues with denial.”

Danny dropped onto the bed, a bundle of clothes in his hands. Almost too quietly for Steve to hear, he said, “I never stopped looking for you.”

Steve sat down beside his, their shoulders so close they touched.

“What happened?”

Danny screwed up his face, “What happened? What happened he asks? Didn't you notice the gun fight? The missile launcher? The explosion? The massive landslide? I’m guessing you missed the search teams as they certainly missed you, I’m not sure how over four days of searching.”

He stopped, mid flow.

“Oh fuck! You don’t remember, do you?”

“I lost some time. I thought, I thought I was on a mission when I came round.”

“Oh babe!” Danny looked straight ahead, but moved his hand to cover Steve’s.

“It was OK. Everything was a bit of a blur at the start. I had some stuff in my pockets. I did OK.”

“I will never mock what you keep in your cargoes again.” Danny squeezed Steve’s hand, then stood.

“Put these on then put your feet up. I’ll bring some food.”

Steve looked up at him, “I didn't know where I was, I couldn't remember being in Five-0, but every night I dreamed of being on the beach here with you and Grace.”

Danny left the room abruptly, and Steve did as he was told.

Downstairs, Danny put the kettle on, then stood at the kitchen counter. He didn't cry.

~#~

Steve lay back on the bed. He couldn't remember how long it was since he could relax. He turned his head to the side. Danny, the pillow smelled like Danny. Within moments he slept.

~#~

Danny pulled himself together in the kitchen after a few moments, and then climbed back up the stairs. He held a tray stacked with soup heated from a tin, sandwiches, a mug of tea and one of coffee, and a plate of fruit. If Steve hadn't been eating much he wanted to give him a few options.

In the bedroom he soon spotted that Steve was asleep. He laid the tray on the chest of drawers, and pulled out a blanket to put over him.

He looked at Steve for a moment, then said, “What the hell, a few moments won’t hurt,” under his breath. He kicked off his shoes, climbed onto the bed, and joined his partner in sleep.

~#~


	12. Chapter 12

As Danny pulled out of the drive, he saw a TV truck pull up. The word must have got out that Steve was back, and Danny wondered whether he should put a call in to Chin and Kono. The last thing Steve needed was the media on his doorstep. He glanced at his partner, but Steve didn’t seem to have noticed.

At Tripler Steve was ushered through into a consultation room, with warm smiles from those members of staff who knew him.

“Good to see you back, Commander. Come this way.” The triage nurse took Steve’s details, and Danny filled her in when Steve held back.

Within a short while, a petite blonde surgeon appeared at the door and introduced herself, “Major Wilson. I’ll be doing the orthopedic assessment, and I gather you’ll be seeing one of my colleagues from neurology later.”

She looked at Danny, then asked Steve, “Would you like your partner to be part of the consultation.” Steve nodded, and Danny saw him set his jaw in readiness for an ordeal. The doctor noticed too.

“It’s going to be fine, Commander. I’ll just ask you some questions, we’ll take X-rays, then you’ll come back and we’ll chat through your options.”

~#~

Steve was in having an X-ray, and Danny took the chance to get on the phone. His first call was to break the news to Grace, and Rachel. Grace was elated.

“When can I see him? Oh, Mommy wants to talk to you.”

“What’s this you’re saying, Daniel? Is it true?”

“Yes. I suspect that it’s going to be on the news today. I wanted you to hear it from me first. He’s a bit beaten up, we’re getting him checked out now.”

“You’re not due to have Grace until the weekend.”

“I know.”

“I could drop her off for half an hour tonight?”

Danny smiled, “I’ll phone you when we’re home. Thanks Rachel.”

After the X-rays on his leg, Steve and Danny spoke to the neurologist who ordered an MRI, a general surgeon who wanted X-rays on Steve’s shoulder, and a plastic surgeon who laids out the options for dealing with the scars.

Steve was in for the final set of X-Rays when Danny phoned Chin.

“Sorry man. I didn’t mean to run out on you yesterday. Steve just looked overwhelmed.”

“How’s he now?”

“So,so. I talked him into coming up to the hospital: we’re at Tripler right now.”

“And...”

“He’s gonna need some work. The worst of it’s his leg. They’re suggesting re-breaking it. It looks like it’s gonna be the only way to sort it out. There’s some shrapnel in his shoulder, but that can come out fairly easily. He’s had an MRI, and everything looks like it will settle down in time, and it’s up to him whether he wants any work on the scars. They’ve booked him in for a psych eval, and he thinks it is gonna mean mandatory counselling, at least until he can talk his way out of it. But look, who’ve you told that he’s back?”

“We had to update the Governor.”

“Yeah, and he’s spread the good news I’d guess. There was a TV crew pitching up outside the house when we left. Can you clear them out. Get the Governor to make a statement, anything, as long as there’s no-one outside the house when we get back.”

He hung up as Steve was wheeled out of the X-ray suite. Steve had argued against the wheelchair at the start of the day, but he was past caring now.

“I’ll take it from here.” Danny said to the porter.

“Major Wilson would like to see you back in her office. Do you know the way?”

“I think I know more about the layout of this place than I ever thought I would.” Danny’s joke was half-hearted, his attention on the fatigue in Steve’s face, the way he slumped in the chair.

“Last session of the day, babe. We’ll head home after this.”

Major Wilson had other ideas. “So, Commander, if we kept you in tonight, we could schedule the surgery on your leg for 07.30. I’ve fixed up with Dr Cheng to do the work on your shoulder at the same time.”

“I’d rather go home.” Steve sounded defeated so Danny weighed in, “How about I have him back here at seven to be prepped? Earlier if you need? My daughter’s not seen him since he got back, she was going to come round tonight.”

Steve sat up and turned to Danny, “Really?”

Major Williams smiled, “I can see that would mean a lot. No food after 10pm please, and back at 07.00 would be fine.”

~#~


	13. Chapter 13

Danny’s stomach churned, and his breath caught in his chest as he watched Steve sleep, sprawled across the bed. Danny took a slow breath and tried to think of something calming. He cast his mind back to the previous evening when Grace had come over for half an hour with Rachel.

“It’s lovely to have you back, Commander. Danny has Grace this Saturday, do you think you’ll be out of hospital by then?”

Steve shrugged, and Danny said, “We’ll see what the surgeon says. She doesn't look like she’ll accept anyone leaving hospital AMI on her watch. Thanks for bringing her over Rachel. I’ll text you about the weekend.”

Rachel smiled. “Just let me know. Come on Grace!”

After they had gone, Danny said, “Upstairs now. You look dead on your feet.”

Steve levered himself out of the chair. “Are you coming up?”

“In a bit.”

They hadn't had a chance to talk about the way they’d shared a bed the night before, the way they they had ended up tangled together. And now Danny was torn. When he’d thought Steve was dead, he’d had so many regrets about the things that he hadn't said. But he couldn't say them now, not when the man had only been back in civilization for twenty four hours, and was facing surgery the next morning.

Danny had stayed down on the couch, uncertain of what to do next. Sleep had remained elusive, so here he was, at five in the morning, staring at Steve. His sleep deprived brain went round in circles. Should he say something? What if he said nothing and Steve died under the anesthetic? But how could he say anything...?

“What are you staring at?” Steve’s sleepy voice broke into his thoughts.

“Oh hell. You haven’t come back with the ability to see through your eyelids have you?”

Steve reached out and grabbed hold of Danny’s hand. “I wasn't really asleep. Have you slept at all?”

“Not much.” After his initial outburst, Danny’s brain was focused on his dilemma again, all the more acute now Steve was awake. “Not worth trying to sleep now.”

Steve tugged him down towards the bed, and taken unawares Danny stumbled forwards.

“What the...?”

He was acutely aware of how close he was to Steve.

“I didn't remember everything when I was stranded, but I dreamed about you every night. I didn't know if I was going to get home, but I’m damned if I’m going to waste time now that I have.” And Steve wrapped his hand round Danny’s head and pulled him in for a kiss.

Danny pulled away for a second to look at Steve. The words ‘Are you sure?’ died on his lips as he saw the expression on Steve’s face, and he leaned back in. The first kiss had been fast and desperate, but now Steve moved over to make room on the bed for Danny and they took their time. And Danny managed to say some of the things he regretted not saying before. And he found Steve comforting him as some of the tears he’d held back over the previous months poured forth too.


	14. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six months later

The put-put-put of the boat engine rose over the sound of the ocean. In the front, Grace bounced excitedly, while Danny kept a hand on the rope attached to her bright pink life jacket. Keoki steered with half an eye on the sea, half an eye on his passengers. 

“I want to try loco moco like Rina makes it!” Grace called.

“Well, if we don't have more luck with the fish you might get the chance,” Danny said. 

“Keoki says it’ll be better over this way if they’re not biting over there. I managed to catch enough when I was stranded,” said Steve. 

“Gonna try spear fishing today?”

“No, I’ll stick to rod and line. Not planning on going in the water at all.”

“But you could, couldn’t you?” Grace asked.

Steve nodded and Danny said, “That’s right, Uncle Steve’s all healed up now.” 

It had been a tough six months for Steve: the surgeon had rebroken and pinned his leg and it had taken months of physical therapy for him to get back to full fitness. 

Grace looked out to search the shoreline again, and Danny turned to Steve. 

“Are you feeling ready for Monday?”

“I’ve been ready for months.”

“Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean. It’s gonna be strange you being back at work. I’m gonna miss having you at home for sure. At least I know that you can get up to less trouble there.”

There had been no further talk of anyone moving out or going to a hotel. Steve and Danny had found a middle way, so the house no longer looked like a shrine to the eighties, and Danny tried to keep his and Grace’s muddle halfway tidy. 

“Yeah, you’re going to miss the cook and babysitter. And being the boss!”

“That I’m not gonna miss. If I have to sit face to face with the Governor in one more meeting... And I think he feels the same way. Nope, I could quite easily have chucked it all in and gone back to being a beat cop.”

Steve put his hand on Danny’s. “I’m glad you didn’t. I couldn't face having to train up a new partner.”

“Train up!” The words burst from Danny. “I am the one who had to train you up, and I hope you’ve not forgotten your protocol, or we may have to start intensive training again.”

Steve smiled, and moved in to kiss his partner. “I don’t mind a bit of intensive training, later!”

**Author's Note:**

> For 1 Million Words WOTD prompt resurrection


End file.
